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Manuals
Conduct of Christian Schools:
FIRST PART - Chapter 10
SCHOOL PRACTICES AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT
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CHAPTER 10
Dismissal of School 14
ARTICLE I
Manner in Which the Students Should Leave the School
The students of the lowest classes will leave the school before those of the higher ones. For example, those of the lowest class will be the first to leave, those of the next to the lowest will follow them, and so on for the other classes up to the highest. When there are three or more classes in the school of a neighborhood, the students of the lowest class will leave while the canticles are being sung. They will leave their classroom and the school two by two, each one with the companion with whom they have been assigned.
The students will leave their classrooms in order and in the following manner. When the teacher makes a sign to the first student on a bench to rise, this student and the one who has been assigned as this student's companion will leave their places with hats off and arms crossed. They will both stand side by side in the middle of the classroom. After having made a deep bow before the crucifix, they will turn and bow to the teacher. If the Director, the Inspector of Schools, or some strangers happen to be in the classroom at this time, they will bow to them before bowing to their teacher. After this, they will leave with decorum, their arms crossed and their hats off until they are outside the classrooms.
When the first two students reach the middle of the room, the next in order on the same bench as the first will rise with the student following. They will likewise go to the middle of the room and will then make their bow like the other two.
All of the students of every class will go out in the same order and in the same manner. Teachers will see that they always walk two by two, the pace a few feet apart, until they reach their homes.
ARTICLE II
Prayers to Be Said by the Students While Leaving Classes
As soon as the singing of the canticles is finished, the Pater Noster, the Ave Maria, the Credo, the De profundis, and the Miserere will be recited aloud. The leader of prayers will say alone in a loud and distinct tone, "Let us pray that God may preserve our living benefactors in the faith of the Holy Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church and in his Holy Love, and let us say Pater Noster," and so forth. The other students will then join in reciting these prayers in a lower tone until the end of the Creed.
After the Creed has been recited, the leader will say, "Let us pray for our benefactors who are dead, and let us say for the repose of their souls the De profundis, Requiem aeternam, A porta inferi, and Domine exaudi," and so forth. All of these prayers will be said alternatively in the manner that is usual in the school. Then the same prayer leader will say, "Oremus, Fidelium Deus," and so forth. The others will reply, "Amen."
When these prayers are finished, the leader will continue to say alone in a loud voice, "Let us pray God to forgive us the faults which we have committed in school today, and let us say for that intention the Miserere mei Deus." This psalm will be said alternately, like the psalm De profundis. The leader will say one entire versicle, and the students will all say the one following together.
When the students have left the classroom, they will cease to pray aloud to God and will walk in silence, following each other in order.
Teachers will, however, exhort their students to walk with much restraint and decorum from the school to their homes and will take measures to compel them to do so. They will also urge each pair to recite the rosary together for the entire way. This will keep them in control and will without doubt be most edifying.
ARTICLE III
Duties of the Teachers While the Students Are Leaving
the School and after They Have Left It
One of the teachers, if there are more than two, will supervise the departure of the students from the last classroom to the street door, at the same time watching what takes place in that classroom. If there are only two teachers, one of them will watch over both classrooms and make the students go out in order. The other will watch at the street door. The one to whom this duty at the door has been assigned by the Director will make sure that the students leave the school with order and restraint. This teacher will see to it that the companions do not leave each other and that in the street they do not throw stones or shout, that they do not approach too near to each other, and that they disturb no one.
Teachers will especially recommend to their students not to satisfy their natural necessities in the streets, since this is a thing contrary to decency and modesty. They will admonish them to go for that purpose to places where they cannot be seen.
As a teacher cannot see what takes place except in the street where the school is situated, the Director or the Inspector of Schools, with the teachers, will direct some of the students to observe what occurs in the neighboring streets, especially where there are many students, and to report faithfully what they have observed.
However, these students must merely observe and not say a single word. If they do, they should be punished or some penance should be imposed upon them for having spoken.
When all students have left the school, and the last two have reached the street door and greeted the Inspector of Schools or the teacher there, one of them will make a hand sign to this teacher that there are no more students and that the teacher may go in. The teacher will reenter the school immediately. When all of the teachers are assembled in one of the classrooms and are kneeling before the crucifix, if the school is in the Community House where the teachers live, the Inspector of Schools or the Head Teacher will say, "Live Jesus in our hearts." The others will answer, "Forever." They will then all go to the living quarters. If, however, the school is at a distance from the Community House, the teacher will say, "Dignare me laudare te," and so forth. The others will answer, "Da mihi virtutem," and so forth. After this, the Pater Noster will be said. They will then all leave the school in silence continuing to say the rosary all the way to the Community House. When they have arrived there, they will go to the chapel and say the prayer O Domina mea. After that, they will say, "Live Jesus in our hearts. Forever."
End of the First Part
14 In the 1706 manuscript of the Conduct of the Christian Schools, Chapter X is the eleventh chapter. The tenth chapter in 1706 was entitled "Hymns." (cf. CL 24:109); however, only the title of the chapter and nothing else is given in the manuscript.
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